(ECNS) -- In Dishili kite town of Langfang, north China's Hebei Province, elements of kite are seen everywhere: street wall paintings, square sculptures, and the village archway.
Dishili has made great efforts to promote local industries based on its kite culture, and its kite sector has continued to grow.
With a history of more than 500 years, Dishili kite was listed as the provincial-level intangible cultural heritage in June 2009.
Now the kites have been sold to many cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, and are well known across 30 countries in Europe, America and Southeast Asia.
Cultural heritage
Originating in Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and emerging in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Dishili kite has a history of more than 500 years and been well-known for its delicate skeleton and elaborate painting.
According to Guo Jianping, a staff member of the kite museum in Dishili kite town, Dishili is the birthplace, inheritance and production place of royal court kites. There are more than 200 patterns of painting,70 kinds of tying and paste know-how.
Now, Dishili kite culture has been passed down for five generations.
"We often use metaphor or simile when painting the kite, and the pattern of each kite has a nice symbolic meaning," said Zhao Yanqiang, the fifth-generation inheritor of the Dishili kite. For example, "bat" symbolizes "good fortune" and "peach" symbolizes "longevity." The combination of these two means "live long and prosper."
Growing industry
The exquisitely crafted kites took off in the 1980s and 1990s when Dishili kite became very popular and began to occupy Beijing-Tianjin market and go nationwide.
In recent years, the town has made strong efforts to extend the kite industrial chain, and built a beautiful countryside integrating kite industry, ecological tourism and folk cultures so as to promote prosperity for the locals in rural revitalization.
In 2017, Zhao Yanfang, a post-90s girl who had worked in another city for many years, decided to return to her hometown to contribute her own efforts. In order to bring traditional kite culture to more people, she turned an unused house into an attractive "kite yard" where tourists can make kites and discover the charm of kite making. She also made many cultural creative products featuring kites.
"By adding kite elements to the ornaments, people can not only buy exquisite kite gifts, but also bring the auspicious blessings to others," Zhao said.
Kites has became a characteristic cultural card and an important regional industry in Langfang. Next, Dishili kite town will continue to promote all-around rural revitalization, and strive to promote prosperity by combining kite industry with rural tourism.
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